On April 25, 2019, real estate development and construction company Verdad started moving into its sleek, new 8,200-square-foot Warehouse District offices at 201 St. Joseph St. Through its offices in Southlake, Texas; Denver, Colorado and New Orleans, Verdad serves the construction needs of a roster of high-profile, national clients including Popeye’s, Starbucks, Burger King, Taco Bell and 7-11. The company’s former space in the Lower Garden District housed the now 10-person New Orleans team for five years. The decision to move was two-fold.
“As we started diversifying into new lines of business, we wanted to make sure we had the space to grow as needed,” says Joe Mann Jr., principal of Verdad. “In addition, we were presented the opportunity to invest in [a] building, which we felt was a great opportunity to own a piece of the evolving Warehouse District market.”
For the new space, Verdad worked with Woodward Design Group for the interior. Woodward also was the developer and builder for the building. Trapolin-Peer Architects, a firm known both for its work in new construction, as well as historic renovation and restoration, was the exterior architect for the project. The project included a two-story brick warehouse built in the early 1900s, as well as a connected five-story, mixed-use building with 2.5 floors devoted to parking. Verdad’s offices are on the second floor of the historic building. The interior is similar to the company’s former offices in terms of the industrial modern design, but 3,000 square feet larger, with more open workspace. It also boasts a few additional features and amenities.
“We are still in the process of furnishing and decorating, but once complete, it will be an environment that lends to collaboration and a team approach,” says Mann. “The interior garage comes with covered reserved parking spaces, which is nice, and later this year, there are plans for a roof deck that will be an amenity for all tenants within the building.”
Mann says that due to the company’s teams—which total 75 employees—being spread across three offices in three different states, one of the biggest challenges for Verdad is “cohesion and alignment across our footprint.” They combat these challenges by maintaining what Mann describes as a “team-oriented and relentless… approach to performing for our partners.”
“We are in the relationship business, and trust is paramount to our success, says Mann. “Our partner’s success is very personal to everyone on the Verdad team. Our culture is [also] extremely important to us and [we] have a work hard/play hard approach, supported by team effort both during and after work hours. We are co-workers, but we are also family, and treat each other as such.”
In the new space, wood beams and wood plank ceiling features soften exposed brick walls and polished concrete floors both visually and acoustically. Various meeting and office spaces are designed with glass doors and flooring tile in various shades of black, white and gray. Mann’s favorite aspects, however, are not surprising coming from a person who deals in real estate and construction.
“The location in the Warehouse District and a
ll of the activity that is happening around us,” says Mann. “Also, [I] love the age and the character of our building.”
At A Glance
VERDAD
Location
201 St Joseph St., Suite 200
Date of Opening
April 25, 2019
Size
8,200 square feet
Number of Employees
10
Person in Charge
Joe Mann Jr., principal
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